Monday, August 6, 2012

PWD Bug Out Bag

What if you had only five minutes to grab whatever you could take from your home, and had to leave the rest of your belongings at home for several days or week’s…..

What would you take?

Let’s look at my Person With a Disability (PWD) Bug Out Bag. This bag (B.O.B. for short) is a collection of goods that you would need to survive if you had to flee your home with no guarantee of shelter, food or water during an emergency. Think of the B.O.B. as your survival insurance policy for any disaster situation.

Most people use either a backpack or a duffle bag as the container for their goods, which should include basic survival essentials and a few irreplaceable items. Any good B.O.B. should include a minimum of the following-with most things sealed in zip-top bags to prevent water damage:

• Necessary prescription meds that you need to live and a wheelchair charger !
• Shelter items like a backpacking tent and sleeping bag, or at least a 12x12’ tarp and blanket
• A couple quarts of drinking water, and purification equipment to disinfect more water
• High-calorie, no-cook foods like protein bars, peanut butter, trail mix, etc.
• First-aid, sanitation and hygiene supplies (extra catheters, gloves, ky, bed pads ect.)
• Fire starting methods, and a small pot to boil water or cook
• A few basic tools like a knife, some duct tape, plastic wire ties, rope, etc.
• Extra clothes appropriate to the season
• Flashlight with extra batteries, personal firearm, extra ammunition
• Cash, small bills $5, 10, 20’s

• A digital backup of all your important documents and family treasures. This could be a thumb drive with your bank info, insurance documents, wills, family photos and videos

I also keep portable wheelchair ramps in my van at all times. These ramps allow me to navigate 5 steps and a threshold step anywhere I need to go. A cell phone charger and 100’ extension cord are also available. If I need to, I can charge my wheelchair from my van. I keep a list of phone numbers in my glove box in case my cell phone crashes. I also try to keep my van with at least half a tank of gas at all times.

You could keep a B.O.B. by the front door, or even have multiple bags at home, at the office and in your car. This might seem like overkill, or even a little paranoid to some, but hey, just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean an emergency can’t happen.